Marqeta, founded in 2009 and headquartered in Oakland, California, operates what it describes as the world's first modern card issuing platform. The company provides open API infrastructure that enables enterprises and startups to issue virtual and physical cards, authorise transactions in real time, and build payment programmes at global scale. Its platform handles over $290 billion in annual transaction volume and has grown 80-fold since 2017, serving clients in more than 40 countries.
The company's technology stack centres on cloud-native architecture, real-time transaction authorisation, and PCI-compliant infrastructure. Key product features include Just-in-Time funding, dynamic spend controls, and PCI-compliant widgets, all accessible through open APIs. Notable customers span ride-sharing (Uber), fintech (Block, Cash App, Affirm), delivery services (Instacart, DoorDash), and traditional banking (JPMorgan).
Marqeta operates as a flexible-first organisation with employees distributed across the United States and Europe. The company emphasises developer experience and platform reliability as core operational priorities, maintaining a reported platform uptime of 99.99%.
